Challenge: Improbable Warmth
by Count Mallet
Summary: AU. Inspired by Queen's collaborative "Baby It's Cold Outside". The challenge: it's cold outside in the GFFA. Get your character(s) of choice to warm up. Ahsoka featured with: Lux on Onderon (ch. 1); Hondo and younglings on Slave I (ch. 2); and now, her "Ahsoka's Legacy" family on Shili (Bonus Epilogue). Rated Fiction K-plus to be safe. []
1. By My Side

_**Improbable Warmth.**_

A _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ fan fiction.

**Story Identifier:** S18-F14-M5.

**Synopsis:** Another story inspired by a collaborative challenge posted by Queen. The challenge: it's cold outside in the GFFA. Get your character(s) of choice to warm up.

**Rating:** Fiction-K plus. Nothing objectionable, but most suitable for ages nine and up.

* * *

I. By My Side.

* * *

Ahsoka shook her head. She couldn't believe the mess Lux had gotten her into again.

The first time they met, the quest to end the Clone Wars resulted in his mother's death. Their previous adventures on Carlac weren't much better. Lux incapacitated both her and R2-D2. And after he tried hiding her lightsabers, she found herself tangled up with Death Watch. Adding insult to injury, he claimed to be her fiancé and unexpectedly kissed her to keep their cover. And it wasn't just a simple kiss, it was far more passionate than she expected or wanted.

She wasn't expecting to see him in her latest mission. She agreed to teach guerrilla tactics and strategy to freedom fighters. However, she didn't know Lux would be part of the group trying to liberate Onderon from Separatist rule. They succeeded, but Ahsoka was hit in the shoulder by laser fire and dropped Steela to her unfortunate death.

"_Steela,"_ Ahsoka thought in disgust, _"what did those two see in each other?"_ she tried to reason. Her train of thought, however, was derailed.

"Where are you going?" Lux asked curiously, oblivious to Ahsoka's inner turmoil. He, too, was trying to cope with Steela's unexpected death.

"Well, my job is done here. It's time for me to report to the council and eventually rejoin my master," Ahsoka replied softly.

"Can I join you?" Lux asked surprisingly. "King Dendup wants me to represent Onderon in the Galactic Senate. Surely it won't be any trouble for me to travel back with you?" he requested.

"Don't be so sure," Ahsoka replied through gritted teeth.

"Ahsoka, what's wrong?" Lux asked with genuine concern. His attempt to hold her hand was promptly rebuffed, much to his dismay.

Ahsoka looked down at the bandages that protected her shoulder and crisscrossed above her chest. She couldn't wait to return to the Jedi Temple and be treated by the Jedi healers.

"Don't you get it? Every time we've been together one of us gets hurt … usually me," Ahsoka finally answered.

"Surely you don't mean that?" Lux asked, naïve to the reality.

"I was worked over pretty bad on Carlac, no thanks to you. And when we first met on Raxus, your mother died," Ahsoka reminded him.

"So for that, you hold a grudge? Aren't Jedi supposed to be better than that?" Lux challenged his Togruta peer.

Ahsoka took a deep breath. Her human counterpart had a point there.

"Fine. But, that doesn't change the fact one of us gets hurt whenever we're together. Neither of us deserve that," Ahsoka conceded.

Lux went to take her hand again. She gave him another dirty look.

"Please? It **is** cold out tonight. Let me walk with you. I promise nothing will happen. It can be a challenge to myself," Lux pleaded.

Ahsoka didn't know how to react at first.

"OK, but no funny business!" she finally replied emphatically.

Lux gingerly took her hand. He was a bit nervous what she might do if he did otherwise. To his surprise, Ahsoka slowly entwined her long, thin, orange fingers around his own. Her right hand looked different without her gauntlet. However, she still wore her left gauntlet because it held her comlink. The pair continued to slowly walk out from the camp.

After walking for a few minutes, Ahsoka realized time was of the essence.

"We should go back. I have to report to the Council and be ready for our transport back to Coruscant," she told Lux.

Lux, to her surprise, bent down and picked up a small stone.

"What are you doing?" Ahsoka asked.

"It's the same shape and color as the moon in front of us. Look," Lux pointed out to her.

On the way back, Lux noticed goosebumps forming on Ahsoka's shoulder. Thinking that this must be one of the drawbacks of her preferred Jedi apparel made him blush slightly. Thankfully, the darkness hid his reddened cheeks from her. Quickly clearing his head, he felt compelled to do something. He tried to move closer to her.

"I said, 'No funny business,' Lux," she reminded him.

"You look cold. At least let me do something for you," he counter-offered.

Ahsoka watched him as he let go of her hand. He then removed his outer cloak and carefully covered her back and shoulders with it, making sure to be careful with her rear _lek_. He then returned to her side and took her hand once again.

"Better?" he asked simply.

"Yes, thanks," Ahsoka replied briefly.

"So, what happens now?" Lux asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm hoping my master and I return to the Jedi Temple. I need my shoulder treated better. After that, I imagine it's on to the next mission," she hypothesized.

"I'll be appealing for Onderon's membership in the senate. I **will** do what I can to work for peace … in my mother's honor," Lux promised.

"She would have wanted it that way," Ahsoka noted.

"I finally realize that now," Lux replied.

As they returned to the makeshift camp, Lux threw the stone from his hand into the moonlit darkness and whispered something.

"What was that?" Ahsoka asked. She couldn't hear what he said despite her enhanced Togruta senses.

"Nothing," Lux admitted sheepishly. "Let's get ready. I imagine your master will be picking you up as soon as possible?" he asked.

Ahsoka nodded.

Lux seemed unsure of what to say next. "Umm," he stammered, "thanks for letting me walk with you," he finally said.

Ahsoka realized one last detail. Taking his cloak off, she handed it back to him.

"This belongs to you," she stated plainly.

"Thanks," Lux replied before surprising Ahsoka with a gentle hug.

Despite the surprise of his action, Ahsoka let him embrace her before they left to prepare for their return to Coruscant.

* * *

**Disclaimers:** Walt Disney Company owns all Star Wars references, characters, and concepts. The story line was my own.

I was partly influenced by the song _By My Side_ from the 1971 musical _Godspell_. It appears Arista/BMG records owns the copyright to the soundtrack.

A lot of people are likely shocked to see me write about Lux and Ahsoka. Despite disliking these two as a couple, I still think one can write about them in a non-intimate way. This is my attempt to do so.

This is the first of two vignettes planned for this story and prompt.

Constructive feedback is always welcome.

**Original Version:** 2013-01-03. **Last Revised:** 2013-01-13.

~ 1-3 ~


	2. A Man's Gotta Do (What a Man's Gotta Do)

_**Improbable Warmth.**_

A _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ fan fiction.

**Story Identifier:** S18-F15-M5c2.

**Note:** Any passage in «angled brackets» has been translated from a foreign language.

* * *

II. A Man's Gotta Do (What a Man's Gotta Do).

* * *

Hondo grinned evilly. Knowing he shot General Grievous in the limbs gave him some solace. Even though the wounds weren't serious enough to be fatal, Hondo made it clear he was not one to sit idly. Grievous may have assumed control of his pirate base and everything of value in it, but Hondo was sure the cyborg's victory wouldn't last long. Perhaps returning Ahsoka and the younglings to the Jedi might motivate the Jedi to help him retake his stronghold.

Hondo's last laugh was short-lived, though.

"We need help! Something's wrong with Padawan Tano!" Ganodi yelled frantically as she reached the piloting area of _Slave I_.

"What do you want me to do? I'm a pirate, not a medical droid," Hondo deadpanned.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Katooni pleaded.

Hondo sighed. His sole focus was to escape Grievous and deposit the Jedi someplace safe. Still, he couldn't let Katooni down. There was something about her faith in him.

"Let's say I help her, who's gonna fly this thing?" Hondo asked.

"I can, I've had flight simulation training," Ganodi replied proudly.

"OK, but if you crash, don't blame me," Hondo stated dryly.

Ganodi shook her head and immediately sat in the pilot's seat once Hondo left for the main bay.

##

In the bay of _Slave I_, Ahsoka had collapsed to the floor as soon the door shut behind her. The physical and emotional strain of her capture, torture, and confrontation with Grievous had taken its toll on the Togruta. Byph, Gungi, Petro, and Zatt were frantic to find some way to help their chaperone. Huyang and R2 were in a low power mode to conserve energy for the time being.

"I wish I hadn't blown up my datapad. I could have done a medical scan on her or something," Zatt mused.

«Should we move her?» Gungi asked.

«No, she might be too injured,» Byph replied nervously.

"We can't just let her stay like this!" Petro stated emphatically.

The debate was interrupted by Katooni and Hondo's return. Katooni gasped at the site of her injured chaperone.

"Can you do anything?" Katooni asked Hondo.

"Let me see if there's a med-pack on board," Hondo suggested.

While Hondo was off searching for medical supplies, Ahsoka stirred groggily, much to the relief of her charges.

«Should we say something?» Byph asked uneasily.

"Ahsoka?" Zatt finally asked.

Ahsoka groaned. She was sore, exhausted, and mentally drained. She would never admit it, but she was convinced shocks from a Zygerrian slave collar would feel better than how she felt now.

She weakly shook her head when she saw some of the bruises covering her body and felt the pain where other bruises were. She saw a rather unsightly smudge on the side of her outfit. She tried to hide a look of horror when she thought the smudge resembled a hand print. The sound of heavy footsteps pounded through her montrals and made her groan. Seeing Hondo was the owner of those footsteps made her groan once more in disgust.

"Just what did your goons do to me?" Ahsoka asked Hondo tersely, doing her best to ignore the pain.

Hondo clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Ahsoka," he greeted her in his best charismatic tone, "you don't really want to know that – especially in front of the younglings," he stated.

"What are you going to do now? Work me over some more for not stopping Grievous?" she asked sarcastically.

"Come, come, come," Hondo replied, "there's no profit in that. Besides, we're on our way to send you back. At least let me try to take care of some of those bruises before we get there," he coaxed her.

"Fine, but don't even **think** of hurting me again," Ahsoka uttered. For emphasis, she bared her sharp canine teeth at Hondo to prove she was serious.

"Put those things away," Hondo chided, "you're in good hands now," Hondo assured her. He opened the med-pack and found a limited quantity of bacta patches, spray bandages, and a half-used container of bacta.

"Not a lot here, but I'll do what I can," Hondo promised. He went to put a bacta patch on a rather unsightly bruise on her right _lek_ but Ahsoka snarled in disapproval.

"OK, OK, we'll leave those alone," Hondo conceded.

Instead, he used the bacta patches on her back and shoulders. He carefully applied bacta and spray bandages to the bruises in the cutouts of her leggings and elsewhere until he ran out of bandages.

"That will have to do. I'm fresh out of supplies," Hondo told Ahsoka.

Ahsoka gritted her teeth. She wasn't happy with what had happened to her and couldn't help but wonder to whom Hondo intended to sell her. Still, she couldn't overlook the fact Hondo had just attempted to address some of her physical injuries.

"Thanks," she said gratefully yet reluctantly.

"Why did you have to hurt her anyways?" Zatt asked, somewhat upset.

"Let me tell you something, kiddos," Hondo began, "I may be a pirate **and** I may be motivated by profit, but I'm still an honorable man. I'm probably the most honorable pirate you'll ever meet, but I doubt you'll learn that from your Jedi teaching," he stated somewhat emphatically. To prove he had some consideration, he pulled a tarp from the corner and covered Ahsoka with it, so she wouldn't be too uncomfortable from the cold floor.

The initiates were speechless. Hondo's behavior definitely wasn't rational or something their training could explain. How could he go from being an enemy to an ally in a short period?

The tense silence was interrupted by Ganodi's voice over the in-ship intercom.

"I've made contact with Master Kenobi, we rendezvous in three minutes," she announced.

"Hang in there, Ahsoka, we're almost home," Petro said, trying to encourage his chaperone.

"Since I helped your precious Ahsoka, there's something I want from you before you go," Hondo stated.

"What's that?" Katooni asked suspiciously.

"Let me see you activate your laser sword thingies one last time," Hondo proposed.

The group of younglings look at each other. Petro didn't seem to mind the request. Gungi also seemed receptive. Byph, despite his nervousness, gave an approving nod. Zatt looked at his classmates and nodded as well. In a matter of seconds, the group had ignited their lightsabers.

"Yes, yes, yes," Hondo responded gleefully. "Now remember, once you become Jedi, don't give me too much trouble," he challenged them.

As _Slave I_ reached the rendezvous point, the group extinguished their lightsabers and reactivated full power on Huyang and R2. They would be returning to Coruscant soon enough now. They looked at Ahsoka, unsure if they should do anything. They decided to let her remain covered until they were ready to disembark from _Slave I_.

* * *

**Disclaimers:** Walt Disney Company owns all Star Wars references, characters, and concepts. The story line is my own.

**Author's Notes:** The chapter title itself comes from a song by the melodic rock group _Two Fires_. However, I realized no single song could do justice to capturing Hondo's unpredictable personality.

In _A Necessary Bond_, I took issue with some of the continuity. How did Ahsoka end up injury free in clean clothing when we see her with Obi-Wan? How can that be when she was covered in bruises with dirty, smudged clothing? So, I wrote this vignette with the purpose of filling in some of the gap between these scenes.

In _The Gungan General_, an episode from season one of _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_, Hondo is impressed with the Jedi's sense of honor. While I think Hondo would still try to seize the younglings crystals if he had another opportunity to do so, I truly believe he is a man of honor as well. Besides, he knows his best interests lie in accommodating both the Jedi and the Separatists. Both can be profitable in the right situation.

I hope I did a good job with Hondo's personality. I found it quite challenging to accurately capture his personality, especially when he can go from moody to smarmy rather quickly.

While this is the second of my two originally-planned vignettes, I have been contemplating a bonus epilogue. If interested, though, know that it would feature Ahsoka and a cast of original characters.

Constructive feedback is always welcome.

**Initial Version:** 2013-01-05. **Revised:** 2013-01-13.

~ 2-3 ~


	3. Epilogue - Feeling Chilly on Shili

_**Improbable Warmth.**_

A _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_ fan fiction.

**Story Identifier:** S18-M15-M5c3.

**Time Period:** Earth – August 2030 AD / GFFA – 0 BBY (after the destruction of the Death Star).

**Note:** Any passage in «angled brackets» represents conversation in Togruti.

* * *

Epilogue – Feeling Chilly on Shili.

* * *

"Akul!"

Any tribal Togruta hearing that small but dreaded word had a specific task to perform.

For a Togruta warrior, it was a call to locate a spear or other weapon for slaying the beast. If that wasn't possible, driving it away from the canopy forest was crucial.

For non-warriors, the task was to get to safety as soon as possible.

Generally, there were no other options, but sometimes, specific exceptions arose.

Today, warriors quickly gathered with weapons in hand. Time was of the essence as non-warriors were in the scrub lands and in immediate danger.

Raeena and a colleague were leading a small group of younglings on a nature walk in the scrub lands when they heard the warning. Immediately, the adults did their best to round up the younglings and lead them back to the settlement for safety.

They thought they had all the younglings accounted for, but their count was one short. Frantically, they checked to see who could be missing.

Young Emilina, all of 2½ years old, was hurrying frantically. Her mother made a point of warning her about the dreaded akul since there was no such creature in the Earth city where they lived. And both her mother and older sister did their best to teach the toddler what they could of the native language.

But at the moment, all the youngling could do was run for her life. She was too young to have functional montrals. Still, she didn't need echolocation to convince her she may have heard a ferocious growl coming from behind her. Unfortunately, the girl was so focused on safety, she didn't notice the large tree root in front of her.

She tripped and landed into the adjoining river with a large splash. Although the river wasn't too deep, the toddler was frantic to regain her bearings.

Fortunately, her mishap was detected by a couple of warriors en route to the akul.

«Hey, we better rescue that youngling,» Shalene realized.

Her colleague nodded and immediately sprinted to the river.

«Stretch out your hand, young one,» he called out to Emilina.

Emilina called on all of her strength to extend her right arm out. She felt an odd sensation just before she felt herself being lifted out of the water and cradled in a strong pair of arms.

«Who are you, young one?» the male asked. He curiously noticed how this Togruta girl had a small patch of fine blonde hair on her forehead.

«Hey, that's Emilina!» Shalene recognized.

«You know her?» Her colleague asked in slight disbelief.

«Of course. She's my cousin. Her sister is the Mighty Princess,» Shalene explained, using Sarah's warrior name.

«We better take her to see Narina the healer,» her colleague realized.

##

Narina had received Emilina from her cousin and friend and was now examining her. Narina couldn't help but think back to the day she helped Emilina's mother, Ahsoka, give birth when Emilina decided to arrive six weeks earlier than expected.

"If you wanted to see me again, you should have just asked, little one," Narina playfully mused out loud.

"_Lene!_" Emilina responded – the Togruti word for "little one."

"That's right, you're a little one. Aside from some scratches, you appear to be OK. We just need to keep you warm for the rest of the day," Narina noted. She called for an assistant.

«Get me a long blanket and go see if anyone has located her family,» she instructed the assistant. After returning with an oversized blanket, she went off to find the girl's family. It couldn't be too difficult as the girl's father was human.

«Let me get you out of those wet clothes,» Narina commented before removing Emilina's water-soaked clothing. Next, she bundled up the toddler in the long towel.

«There you are, nice and warm like the day I welcomed you to the tribe,» Narina observed aloud. She then took a small amount of dried medicinal herbs and mixed them with a small measure of water. Emilina squirmed a bit as Narina rubbed the paste on the scratches on her small, thin _lekku_.

«There, there. It's OK; it won't hurt much longer,» Narina reassured the toddler as she covered the paste with a bandage.

At that, a teen girl entered the healer's hut.

"Is she OK? What happened?" Sarah asked, obviously concerned about her sister's condition.

"Mighty Princess," Narina greeted Sarah, "she's fine, she just took a spill in the river and got scratched up. But she will need dry clothes and rest," Narina further explained.

"I can go get those," Sarah offered as she looked at her sister.

"Emi, you need to be more careful," Sarah reminded her sister. "I better let everyone know she's OK," Sarah realized as she turned towards Narina again.

"And don't forget the fresh clothes," Narina reminded her.

Sarah nodded before kissing the white diamond on Emilina's left cheek. "Go ahead and take a nap, little sis. I'll see you later," she promised.

"Bye-bye," Emilina replied softly.

##

After dinner that evening, Da'Meon, leader of the Tano tribe, made an announcement to everyone.

"Tonight, our storyteller will recount the long-standing rapport between the Tano and the Ti. This is our tradition as we mark one week before the beginning of Ullambana," he informed those present. "Those interested in the story should assemble by the fire," he added.

Ahsoka got up and walked with her family – plus one. In addition to her husband and daughters, Sarah's best friend Molly also joined them. Fortunately, Ahsoka and Sarah were able to convince Molly's parents the trip would be a positive cultural exchange of sorts.

"Mom, isn't that the name of that Jedi who died when Emi was born?" Sarah asked.

Ahsoka took a deep breath as her _lekku_ curled and twitched. As much as Jedi were supposed to let go of the past, her own traumatic memories seemed to be more difficult to deal with.

"Yes, Sarah. That's Master Ti's tribe and family. I can only hope she'd look favorably on me … on us," Ahsoka replied nervously.

"Mom, don't be ashamed of who you are. Father always taught me that, right?" Sarah replied, looking at her father.

"Indeed. I'd like to think Master Ti would be quite proud of you. After all, you eventually completed your training and now you teach initiates the Jedi way," her husband replied reassuringly.

"I still feel like I need to be a Master," Ahsoka replied wistfully. "I **am** the only full-blooded Togruta Jedi now," she reminded her husband.

"Once Sarah and Molly are knighted, maybe we can make that happen. But we can talk about that after our vacation," he promised.

"Since we'll be here for the festival, maybe I can properly honor Master Ti," Ahsoka contemplated.

"What exactly is this festival anyways?" Molly asked curiously.

"If I remember, it's a time to honor the dead, especially the fallen warriors who now enjoy the Great Afterlife," Ahsoka recalled.

"So," her husband began, "who all wants to hear the storyteller's tale tonight?" he asked the group.

"I do!" Sarah quickly answered. "It means a lot to connect with my Togruta heritage," she replied proudly.

"Same for me," Ahsoka answered softly. "We learned a little about our species and culture in the Temple, but this is the perfect time for me to learn and observe my people's customs," she realized.

"I want to go," Molly stated decisively. "This is the type of thing my parents will ask me about when we go home," she explained.

"Are we taking Emilina?" Ahsoka asked her husband. Emilina was dressed in her new outfit now, but Narina advised the family to be sure she stayed warm for the remainder of the day and night.

"Maybe this can be Emi's bedtime story," Sarah pondered.

"We just have to make sure she stays warm. It's definitely cooling off now," Sarah's father noted.

##

A majority of the tribe had assembled around the fire. Even though the story rarely changed year-to-year, many enjoyed the tale and its significance to the Tribe.

Ahsoka and her family sat in the front row. Emilina's father had her sit in his lap. There, he covered her with his Jedi robe with only her head peeking out from it. Additionally, the fire's heat would also help keep her warm.

The noise of the gathered people there abruptly stopped. It was so quiet, the crackling of the fire echoed eerily in the darkness. The old storyteller slowly walked out in front of the crowd and sat on top of a table. She began to tell her tale:

"Many years ago, before your grandparents were born, a new tribe relocated across the river. Our own leader was eager to learn more about our new neighbors and of their intentions. So, he gathered an elder and two sentinels and begun the trek to their new settlement.

"Meanwhile, the new tribe realized there was another tribe across the river. Its own leader did not wish to encroach on potentially sacred land. Thus, he brought his own elder and sentinels for a meeting with his counterpart.

"In the scrub lands, each leader was surprised to see the other walking out to greet him. While they had enough time for introductions and to declare their peaceful intentions, the meeting was interrupted by an akul attack.

"When both beasts were slain, the leaders realized their sentinels worked together as if they were of the same tribe. Seeing it as a favorable blessing from their departed warriors, they saw this as a sign their tribes were to exist in harmony.

"However, both leaders rebuffed the idea of a formal treaty. The will of the spirits transcended mere mortal writings, they reasoned. Instead, plans were made to introduce each tribe's leader and elders to each other. That day marked the first day of the long-standing rapport between the Tano and the Ti.

"As time passed and leaders changed, each new leader would travel to the other tribe and reaffirm the tribe's intent to remain in peace with the other. Five generations later, the Tano and Ti still share each others joys and support each other in times of grief. And in times in of need, the tribes continue to support each other as needed."

The storyteller stood down from the table and slowly walked to a spot on the other side of the fire, opposite of those assembled. The light from Shili's six moons trickled through the trees and gave her ominous shadows. As she gestured, everyone began to sing a song in Togruti. The voices were soft and low enough that Ahsoka and company could not translate the words with their datapads. Instead, each chose to reflect on the story they just heard. Emilina, on the other hand, struggled to stay awake, briefly yawning and fluttering her eyes.

After the song completed, everyone slowly departed in silence.

##

"That was some story, mom. What did you think?" Sarah asked curiously.

Ahsoka appeared to be near tears. "I never knew that Master Ti likely grew up as a neighbor of sort. I wonder if she ever knew our tribes were adjacent to each other," she curiously contemplated.

"Your tribes seem to be a lot like Native American tribes, Sarah," Molly observed.

"It seems like it," Sarah replied thoughtfully.

"It was a most interesting legend," Ahsoka's husband remarked as he stroked his goatee. "But maybe the storyteller would tell us another legend I've been curious about," he mused.

"Which one is that honey?" Ahsoka asked in reply.

"Sarah told me she helped you pick Emilina's name from of a legend she heard your first time on Shili. I'd love to hear that story at some point on our trip," he wished eagerly.

"Sarah, look!" Molly exclaimed to her best friend. Emilina had fallen fast asleep in a small chair.

"We may as well put her to bed as-is," Ahsoka commented.

Sarah slowly tiptoed over to her sister and planted a small kiss on the top of her head.

"Good night, Emi," she whispered.

Her father gently scooped the toddler up and carried her to her own bed. He made sure to keep her as bundled up as possible, hoping she would be her normal self come morning.

"We should go to bed, too," Ahsoka announced to Sarah and Molly. With that, the rest of them got ready for bed and called it a night.

* * *

**Disclaimers:** Walt Disney Company owns all Star Wars references, concepts, and characters. The story line and original characters (mostly everyone except for Ahsoka) are my own.

The storyteller's legend was inspired, in part, by the episode _Darmok_ from _Star Trek: The Next Generation_. It appears CBS Television Studios and Viacom both own parts of the Star Trek franchise.

The song, although intended to be a native Togruta song, was influenced by Journey's _Colors of the Spirit_. The song has a Native American flavor to it and seemed appropriate for a tribal Togruta celebration.

**Acknowledgments:** Very special thanks to FFn author Queen for the concept of the Ullambana festival (used with her permission here). From her notes, it appears the Japanese festivals Obon and Setsubun along with other cultures' acknowledgments of the dead helped shape her concept.

Thank you once again. I hope that I've remained authentic to your own presentation, even when combining it with my own concepts of Togruta afterlife.

**Some Pronunciations:**

Raeena – Ray-ee-na.

Shalene – Shay-lee-knee.

**Author's Notes:** This ended up longer than I expected, but I wanted to write about different types of warmth. First, we have the warmth necessary for good health. We also have the physical warmth and familial warmth between a father and daughter. Furthermore, we also have the warmth of a comfortable bed. Metaphorically, we also have the long-time warmth of friendship between two Togruta tribes, even if that doesn't count towards the challenge.

In explaining some of the characters in this chapter, I want to limit the spoilers. So forgive me if anything seems vague or incomplete. Feel free to ask questions in comments or via PM if anything is confusing.

Some of the characters here come from my other ongoing story, _Both Worlds. _Others come from my private writings. Here, Sarah & Molly are 15 & 16 respectively (Molly is three months older than Sarah). At the risk of a future spoiler, Ahsoka and her husband have a second child about four months after Sarah's 13th birthday. She was born on Shili when her mother and big sister were sent there to answer a plea for help from Da'Meon. In my canon, Ahsoka and Da'Meon are 3rd cousins. That means they would share a common great-great-grandparent.

This ties into a potential mini-arc I've been brainstorming in my non-published writing. Even if I don't use this, it was cute to write a nice little outtake that relates to the warmth challenge.

**Initial Version:** 2012-01-06.

~ 3-5 ~


End file.
